


A Dark Place

by midnightwings96



Series: Burn Up in Your Atmosphere [11]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: Acting, Alexander Pierce - Freeform, Angst, Angst and Feels, Bromance to Romance, Bucky Barnes - Freeform, Chris Evans x Sebastian Stan - Freeform, Clueless Chris Evans, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Evanstan - Freeform, Eventual Romance, Feels, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pining Sebastian Stan, Prequel, Protective Chris, RPF, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, The Winter Soldier - Freeform, brock rumlow - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-01
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-06-20 07:36:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,213
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15529338
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midnightwings96/pseuds/midnightwings96
Summary: Prequel to "Burn Up in Your Atmosphere"Chris stays behind the scenes to serve as Sebastian's moral support during the filming of his pinnacle scene in The Winter Soldier. He quickly realizes just how much he is a force to be reckoned with.





	A Dark Place

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MorningGlory2](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorningGlory2/gifts), [TeamDamon](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamDamon/gifts).



> Just a quick thanks to TeamDamon and MorningGlory2 for letting me contribute to their epic Evanstan story!
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this little tidbit of angst, comfort, and slowly brewing romance, told from Chris's point of view.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr as @take-me-tom-hiddleston <3

Today was one of the very rare days that Chris wouldn’t be needed on set of  _ The Winter Soldier _ , but he found himself there anyway. He couldn’t do anything to really help, but maybe he could at least prove to be some sort of moral support.

Sebastian had been anticipating this scene since the moment he finished reading the script, and Chris could sense his growing nerves over it for the past week. He couldn’t blame him, though. Seb was the newcomer in this film. Even with  _ The First Avenger  _ under his belt, between Chris, Scarlett, Mackie, and  _ Robert Redford,  _ he was still by far the most inexperienced with the film industry. And while Chris and everyone else who had worked with Seb were already impressed with his talent and work ethic, he knew Seb still felt the pressure to prove himself as a professional film actor.

Then, of course, this scene was easily one of the most emotionally raw and vulnerable of the whole damn film. The turning point. The moment when the audience’s perception of Bucky would turn from unyielding villain to tortured victim.

And Seb only had three short lines to do it.

He had complete confidence in him, though, and Chris was excited to see him tackle something so gritty. Despite them being close in age, Chris couldn’t help but feel an almost elder-like protectiveness of him. He knew in his bones Sebastian was ridiculously talented, despite not having a whole lot of opportunities to show it until now, and he wanted the world to see how  _ good  _ this relatively unknown artist was. Cause he once they did, his inevitably long and fruitful career was Seb’s for the taking.

Chris stood just behind the empty directors’ chairs as the crew finished up getting the set ready. He glanced over to where Seb sat shirtless on the set chair. He was talking scene details with the Russos and Robert, while one of the makeup artists flitted around him to touch up some of the extensive scarring on his shoulder. He couldn’t hear the conversation, but he wagered they were addressing the short yet brutal physicality of the scene.

Chris looked closer. He could tell Seb was already sinking into Bucky’s…rather messed up psyche. He looked tired, like he’d stayed up most of the night, despite going to bed early. His blue eyes were heavy with dark circles and his mouth was downturned in a way that Chris wasn’t particularly comfortable seeing. Up until now, Seb was normally so full of smiles and general light-heartedness. Even during their intense combat scenes so far, he would joke and laugh with Chris in between takes. But then again, being an emotionless assassin didn’t require quite the same amount of mental preparation as being a tortured prisoner of war.

Eventually, Joe and Anthony returned back to their seats, sending Chris an excited look his way. Robert returned to his starting place behind the armored door, and Seb repositioned slightly on the edge of the chair. His weary eyes flickered to Chris’s.  _ Damn _ , he looked rough.

Chris sent him a little nod of encouragement. Seb’s lips pulled up in an appreciative, but pitiful little smile before his gaze fell down to his lap.

“Everybody ready?” Anthony called, the final medical and bodyguard extras going to their starting places, raising their guns at him. Seb rolled his shoulders a couple times and cleared his throat before looking back up and nodding.

He then trained his vacant, devastated stare just slightly off from the camera. Chris raised his eyebrows.

Then, cameras started rolling.

Robert, Grillo, and a group of tactical agent extras walked through the door towards Seb. Robert took off his glasses, tucking them into his suit jacket. “Mission report,” he commanded. Seb didn’t move. “Mission report,  _ now.” _

Nothing.

Chris felt the tension rise throughout the room as Robert walked forward and leaned in, his gaze narrowing at an unmoving Seb that refused to look him in the eye.  

Robert suddenly reared back, his hand roughly backhanding him across the cheek. Chris visibly flinched as the loud crack of skin meeting skin reverberated throughout the room. Seb’s head flew to the side as he let out a small pained grunt, and Chris could see the actual redness of the impact on his cheek.  _ Jesus Christ. _ He wasn’t surprised they decided to go for a genuine strike, but…that was rough.  __

Seb slowly turned his head back towards Robert, his eyebrows furrowing and expression contorting. “The man on the bridge…,” he quietly murmured, eyes dropping for a second before looking at Robert for the first time. “Who was he?”

“…You met him earlier this week on another assignment.”

His eyes drifted in thought, the pitiful confusion Bucky was feeling so palpable in Seb’s eyes it was painful to watch even from where Chris stood. He glanced at the camera, seeing the sheen of sweat on his forehead and the tension in his jaw. “…I knew him.”

Robert sighed before pulling a chair up and sitting down to get on Seb’s eye level, almost like he was trying to explain a complicated concept to an unknowing child. And Seb looked upon Robert with such pained, confused innocence, he almost  _ did  _ look like a sad child looking for any semblance of an answer he could find.

“Your work has been a  _ gift  _ to mankind. You shaped the century.” Seb turned his head down, gaze on Robert intensifying and breath slowly picking up as he continued to speak. “And I need you to do it one more time.”  He swallowed hard and looked away, like he  _ knew  _ deep down that he wasn’t supposed to be helping the likes of Alexander Pierce, but he didn’t know  _ why _ . “Society is at a tipping point between order and chaos. Tomorrow morning, we’re going to give it a push.” His gaze remained on Robert, but turned distant, like he was seeing straight through him, his muddled brain struggling to reveal long covered memories. “But, if you don’t do your part, I can’t do mine. And Hydra can’t give the world the freedom it deserves.”

There was a palpable silence. Seb blinked, struggling for words. “But I  _ knew _ him.” Then Chris leaned in as Seb’s face crumpled with crippling confusion. Joe and Anthony shared a quick unspoken look before looking back to the scene.

Robert sighed, clearly put out by Bucky’s struggles and reluctance to acknowledge him. He stood. “Prep him.”

A small glint of fear passed through Seb’s eyes. Bucky knew what those words meant.

The extra looked between Robert and Seb. “…He’s been out of cryo-freeze too long…”

Robert turned to stare hard and uncaringly at the broken man before him. “Then wipe him, and start over.”

_Fuck,_ the look on his face. It was…haunting. A mix of fear and pain and confusion that it damn near took his breath away.

Two scientist extras moved in on Seb, definitively pushing him back in the chair and holding out a mouth guard for him. He took a deep breath, letting his fear be replaced with bitter resignation as he accepted the guard. His eyes burned in anticipation as he bit down hard, his jaw straining under the pressure. His torso shot ramrod straight against the chair as the eventual CG cuffs would wrap around his arms. His sweat-slicked chest began heaving, frantically waiting for the pain.

Chris glanced at Grillo. Even through Rumlow’s tough exterior, he was clearly struggling to watch, and Chris couldn’t tell if that was an intentional character decision or Grillo’s personal discomfort at the scene coming through.

The camera steadily moved in on Seb as his panic increased. And right when it had lined up to directly capture his face, he let go.

Chris could  _ feel  _ the scream bubble up within him, starting with a violent intake of breath through his nose. It traveled upwards into his neck, each and every muscle and vein tensed and skin turning red from lack of consistent breath. His bright blue eyes widened, shining with tears and blood chilling panic like a caged animal.

The blood curdling noise that ripped out of Seb’s throat left Chris wide eyed and frozen, every muscle in his body tensed. It cut through the air of the set like a deadly knife, the scream feral, wild, and excruciating. For a split second, Chris forgot Seb was acting and every inch of his body was covered in horrified chills.

Robert and Grillo left the room with the rest of the tactical team, leaving Seb’s violent screams unendingly echoing through the air.

Anthony and Joe shared another look before somewhat quietly calling for cut.

When Seb finally stopped screaming, Chris was fairly certain the whole room let out a breath they hadn’t realized they were holding. He was breathing hard, gasping for air as his body relaxed on the chair.

He sat up and immediately let his head wearily collapse into his hands as he took out the guard and caught his breath.

“…I think that’ll do,” Anthony said, looking almost breathless himself. Seb stayed where he was, running a shaking hand through his hair. The rest of the cast and crew quietly tried to shake everything off and reset. “ _ Really _ good job, guys,” he called.

“Seb?” Joe gently called, “Are you good for another take? You can take a minute if you want.”

He took a labored breath through his nose and slowly sat up, “No, I’m good,” he weakly called, though he seemed anything but “good.” Seb ran a hand across his tear-streamed cheeks and visibly tried to shake himself out of the dark place he’d just plummeted into. When no one said anything, he trained his exhausted eyes to the Russos and repeated, “Seriously, I’m good. Let’s go again.”

They took his word for it and called for places. As everyone prepped again, Seb’s gaze slowly slid over to Chris.

They locked eyes. Something stirred in Chris. He couldn’t tell what it was exactly; all he knew is he longed to go over there and comfort his friend. This had been much more difficult to watch than he could have ever anticipated, and he knew Seb  _ had _ to be deeply struggling after tapping into something so horrific. On the other hand, though, he also felt…stunned and full of pride for his friend. Chris  _ knew  _ how talented Seb was, always had, but,  _ this  _ was… _ Jesus,  _ this was a whole new level. The kid deserved everything the world had to offer and  _ then  _ some.

Chris sent him a small smile, but he knew it didn’t reach his eyes. Seb grimaced before tearing his eyes away to reset.

And then he did the scene again. And again. And  _ again. _

Eventually, Chris couldn’t stay any longer and had to leave Seb to it, and they continued that scene for the rest of the day. But watching it for so long had put Chris into a funk himself, and he couldn’t seem to shake it. He just felt…well, disturbed.

When he knew they had finished for the day, Chris couldn’t stay away from Seb’s trailer. He lightly knocked before putting his hands in his pockets.

There was a few moments of silence before Chris heard Seb walk over to the door.

Needless to say, when he opened the door, Seb looked worse for wear. He was all out of costume and back into some comfortable clothes, but his downtrodden expression radiated sheer emotional and mental exhaustion. Chris did notice a little life spark in his eyes and the sight of him, though. “Hey, Chris,” he quietly greeted, a small weak smile on his lips. “Thanks for being there today.” He ran a hand through his hair again. “It meant a lot.”

Chris smiled and brushed it off, “Oh, yeah no problem. It was nothing.”

Seb shook his head. “It was definitely not nothing. Seriously, thank you, having you there for support really helped.” His gaze dropped shyly. “Meant a lot.”

“…How are you doing?” Chris asked. “That was some really intense shit back there.”

Seb put his hands in his pockets and leaned up against the door frame. “Yeah, I’m okay.” He didn’t look all that okay. “Just tired, I guess. Was there something you needed?”

“Oh, uh, I was just going to ask if you wanted to maybe grab a drink? Might be good for you after the day you’ve had, but uh…if you’re tired, I’ll just leave you alone. Another time,” he said, trying to brush it off like it was no big deal. And it wasn’t. But that didn’t mean Chris didn’t really want Seb to say yes.

Something Chris couldn’t place flitted through Seb’s eyes as he took in a breath, “Uh…yeah, actually. I guess I do need to get out of my own head for a few hours. Thanks. Let me just grab my wallet.”

Chris smiled, not having expected Seb to take him up on his offer. “Yeah. ‘Course.”

Seb quickly returned, jacket on and slipping his wallet in his back pocket. Maybe Chris was imagining things, but he did seem to have ever so slightly more life in his step.

The two men shared a small smile. “Let’s go.”

  
  



End file.
